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Fernwood Avenue Middle School

Embrace, Engage , Educate

FMS Newsletter for the Week of March 29, 2026

Posted Date: 04/02/26 (12:37 PM)


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Fernwood Weekly - Rise Above

Week of March 29, 2026

The exterior of Fernwood Avenue Middle School on a sunny day.

Principal's Message

Dear Fernwood Families,

We have officially arrived at Spring Break! This is a well-deserved moment for our students and staff to pause and celebrate everything we have accomplished so far this year. Whether you are traveling or enjoying a "staycation," I hope you find time to truly enjoy the time, and engage with family and friends.

Preparing for the Final Stretch

While we want everyone to enjoy a restful break, we are also looking ahead to the final stretch of the school year. This is often our most fast-paced and exciting season, and to make the most of it, we need every student to return rested and ready.

Enjoy this time to recharge your batteries! We look forward to seeing everyone back energized and focused on finishing this year as our very best selves.

Wishing you a wonderful Spring Break,

Frank Locantora
Principal
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Events Calendar

*Updated as of 4/2/26
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Attendance Reminders

A friendly reminder that all absences and doctor notes can be emailed to FMSattendance@eht.k12.nj.us 

Students must be present for 4.5 hours to receive full credit for the day. 

They must: 
Sign in no later than 10:15 am 
Sign out no earlier than 12:45 pm 
Students cannot be late or leave early on half days or two hour delay.

Thank you!
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Student Achievement

1st Annual Golden Trailer Awards Ceremony

Over the past several weeks, students in Ms. McLaughlin’s ELA classes stepped into the roles of directors, actors, editors, and producers to create original movie trailers inspired by the novel Nothing But the Truth by Avi. Throughout the project, students explored powerful themes, including how truth can be distorted when people rely on incomplete information, how avoiding responsibility can turn small problems into much larger issues, and how poor communication and misunderstandings can escalate conflicts.

After viewing all of the trailers, students were recognized for their hard work and creativity at our 1st Annual Golden Trailer Awards Ceremony. Awards were presented in the following categories: Best Picture, Best Acting, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, Best Use of Text/Voiceover, Most Creative Adaptation, Best Theme Representation, Most Dramatic Performance, Funniest Trailer, Best Costumes/Props, and Audience Favorite.

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8th Grade Physics Challenge

8th Grade Science classes put Newton’s Laws of Motion into action by having each class compete in outdoor Physics challenges this week!
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Wind Ensemble Goes to College

Fernwood Middle School Wind Ensemble, under the dedicated direction of Mr. Marc Spatz, traveled to Rowan University as part of a decade long collaboration with Director of Rowan University Bands, Dr. Joe Higgins and his conducting classes. As part of their pre-service experience, Rowan University Music Department students got to hone their skills and get career readiness experiences by rehearsing a live, middle school ensemble.
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Outsiders Day

Along with the rest of the 7th grade ELA classes at Fernwood, Mr. Mosetti's class wrapped up their reading of The Outsiders with a fun and memorable “Outsiders Day”! Students came dressed as Socs and Greasers, bringing the novel to life in our classroom. They also brought in snacks and drinks inspired by the story, adding an extra layer of connection to the text.

After completing their essays, students celebrated all their hard work by watching the film together and enjoying the treats. This story will remind us to always STAY GOLD!
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French Peep Parachute Drop!

Volleyball Wraps Up a Great Season!

The volleyball team finished the season strong with an impressive 7–3 record! Every player showed incredible hard work, dedication, and unstoppable teamwork in every game. Huge congratulations to all our players and managers! A special shoutout to our 8th grade players and managers, you’ve left your mark, and you will be deeply missed!
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Climate, Culture, and #EHTPride

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Fernwood Clue Grand Prize Winners!

Congratulations to our Clue grand prize winners! Mr. Warner won the staff grand prize and Darren Sual won the student grand prize!
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Community Partnerships

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A checklist for parents about preparing children for smartphones
PC Volunteers
'NJ Parent Link

NJ Parent Link

NJ Parent Link
Updates have been made to the NJ Parent Link website to highlight & prioritize content & hyperlinks to youth suicide, crisis & mental health lifelines, helplines, services and resources:
Youth Mental Health & School/Home Partnership Resources

NJ Parent Link
Navigate Parenthood, Navigate New Jersey.

Parent Portal

Do you have a parent portal account? Request an account today by emailing icportal@eht.k12.nj.us and provide the following information in the body of your email. If you have requested an account and haven't received a reply, please check your spam folder. Due to overwhelming requests, replies may take up to five days.
Parent Portal account.
EHT text message sign-up.
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An advertisement for EHT Transportation, featuring a yellow school bus and recruitment information.
 
 
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Contact info